The Courage to talk about mental health and adversity

We never know what we can endure until we experience it. This profound truth becomes even more evident when we examine stories of resilience, courage, and transformation—like that of Rick Yarosh. Of course, Rick didn’t get through these adversities alone. He needed many Sweethearts (people who give H.O.P.E.) and Heroes (those who are willing to Jump into Action, do what others are unwilling to do, and help those in need) to get through these challenges.

However, what we cannot overlook is the courage it takes to even talk about our adversities, particularly around our mental health and well-being. Mental health, while increasingly discussed, remains a topic of cultural silence, especially among older generations. Baby Boomers and Gen X often avoid discussing these issues. Perhaps it is hoped that, if unaddressed, these problems will fade away over time. Perhaps, in the context of schools and districts, they frequently shy away from addressing mental health due to the fear of liability or stigma.

This silence can have devastating consequences.

Rick’s Greatest Fear Became His Strength

No matter how painful, adversity can shape us in ways we never imagined. In these moments of hardship, we discover resilience, meaning, and connection—both with ourselves and others.

Three days before his life changed forever, Rick joked with his buddy that if he ever lost his leg, he didn’t want to live. He believed such a loss would strip away his identity and his meaning. But when that very tragedy struck—losing not only his leg but facing challenges beyond what he thought possible—Rick discovered something unexpected.

He found a new identity that allowed him to do things he had never imagined, even before his injury. He became a public speaker.

Public speaking was once Rick’s greatest fear. He vividly remembers asking his teachers for a failing grade rather than delivering a speech. He would write the speeches, but the thought of standing in front of an audience was paralyzing. Years later, after his injury, a friend asked him what he wanted to do. Without understanding why, Rick said, “I want to be a public speaker,” and the friend arranged Rick’s first speaking engagement.

Rick’s first event didn’t go as planned—he forgot his notes and improvised. He doesn’t remember what he said, but he remembers the impact. People were listening. Since then, he has spoken to millions nationwide, sharing his journey and inspiring others. Rick’s story is a testament to the idea that even the most painful and challenging experiences can lead to incredible growth and fulfillment. He thought his injury had taken away his meaning, but it gave him a new one: to help others thrive.

The Courage to Talk About Adversity

What Rick didn’t realize when he decided to become a public speaker and dared to share his story was what it would do to his mental health. Rick became a speaker to help others, but in the process, he helped himself by sharing these challenges. This is a central theme in the work of Sweethearts & Heroes.

Rick’s courage to speak wasn’t just about overcoming his fear—it was about breaking the silence around personal struggles and showing others that talking about the hard things is okay. This is the same silence that too often surrounds mental health, especially in older generations and institutions like schools.

Just over a year ago, Sweethearts & Heroes was scheduled to visit a school in upstate New York when tragedy struck the school just one week before their event. Tom and Rick learned of a student at the school who had taken their own life. More than that, Tom found it rather distasteful that, in the student’s obituary, the parents were very open and included their child’s cause of death rather than the common statement of, “They passed unexpectedly.”

While Tom and Rick were hesitant to fulfill the visit, afraid to bring up the discussion around the tragedy and make things worse, the principal recognized the urgent need for open dialogue and insisted they come.

Weeks later, during another school visit, a young woman approached Tom and wanted to give him a bracelet from a friend who had recently passed away. To Tom’s astonishment, the student’s friend had been the very student who had just passed away. Floored by the willingness to give away something so precious, Tom reciprocated the gesture and gave her the obituary of her friend that he had been carrying around since the student’s passing.

The encounter changed Tom’s perspective on the obituary and the parent’s decision to include the cause of death. He realized that discussing hard realities and talking about mental health doesn’t diminish these experiences or worsen the pain. It fosters understanding, healing, and hope.

The parents had the courage to openly address their difficult reality. Many of us cannot do that; it’s embarrassing, humiliating, hurtful, devastating, and unimaginable. Yet, talking about it only makes it better.

This is at the core of Circle practices. Like the parents who openly shared their unimaginable loss, Circle creates a space where pain is not hidden but transformed into connection. It’s where adversity is shared, understood, and turned into strength.

Circle: The Power of Shared Stories

Today’s children face unique challenges, often lacking opportunities for meaningful, face-to-face conversations. Without these tools, they struggle to navigate adversity. However, when challenges arise, openly discussing them can strengthen our stress response systems and foster personal growth.

Sweethearts & Heroes uses Circle practices to provide a secure space where students can share their struggles. In these Circles, survivors find strength in their stories and connections with others who need that strength. Adversity transforms into a tool for building grit, resilience, and emotional intelligence. By encouraging open dialogue, we help young people thrive and develop the skills to overcome life’s challenges.

Talking about mental health and hardships doesn’t worsen pain—it alleviates it. Sharing stories builds community, understanding, and hope. Practices like Circle show us that confronting struggles head-on creates the foundation for healing and growth.

Rick’s journey, the courage of grieving parents, and the stories shared in Circle teach us a powerful truth: by facing adversity and sharing our struggles, we transform survival into strength. Whether it’s losing a leg, losing a loved one, or enduring another hardship, adversity can break us or shape us into something stronger. The difference lies in how we choose to confront it and whether we’re willing to share our pain with others.

When we break the silence, we create a culture of resilience, hope, and healing. Sharing challenges—as Rick did, as those parents did, and as students do in Circle—shatters isolation and opens the door to growth. In doing so, we discover that life’s most difficult moments often lead to the greatest transformations.